The River Wild

I hadn't heard of this movie until my parents told me about it, and we ended up watching it tonight. I thought it was pretty entertaining! It definitely "feels" like a 90s movie at times, and it can be a bit cheesy, but it doesn't really need to be anything more or less than that in my opinion.

The performances by Kevin Bacon and Meryl Streep are great. I loved seeing Bacon play a bad guy, I don't know if I ever have until this point. The story is gripping mostly during the latter half of the movie, the intensity is turned up and there's a pretty solid payoff by the end of it. This movie would be too generic if it weren't for the river setting throughout the whole movie - it really added some memorable moments, and I'm sure I won't be forgetting this one.

Overall, this was a fun time! It has everything that I'd normally look for in a suspenseful/thriller, has likable cast members and throws a spin on a conventional drama, turning it into something memorable and worth giving a look.

If you love the wild outdoors, fishing, camping and riding a raft down rapids like Niagara Falls, this is definitely your kind of picture. Meryl Streep,(Gail Hartman), earned her salary in this film, not just acting but having to take part in some of the water scenes. Gail Hartman every year visited her parents home and enjoyed camping and water sports. However, Gail's husband was deeply involved with his work and some what disappointed his family the last minute. Kevin Bacon,(Wade) meets up with Gail and takes a great liking to her, as well as, her son and it looks like things are going to work out for a great vacation. What appears like a great story becomes a horrible situation that you will have to find out.

For a conventional Hollywood adventure story, THE RIVER WILD isn't bad at all. While it lacks the rawness of similarly-themed independent fare and the kind of twists and surprises you'd expect from the best this genre has to offer, it tells the story it sets out to tell with a large amount of success, mainly thanks to the lean script and no-nonsense pacing. Much of the action comes from a series of spectacular white-water rafting sequences in which the stunt team are really put through their paces. These mark the film's highlight. The human plot, involving a couple of hostage-takers, is less spectacular, but the film still gets by thanks to the calibre of the cast.

Meryl Streep, although a little too earnest in some places for my liking, takes plaudits as the outdoors expert who has to use her wits to survive both nature and the evils of mankind. Kevin Bacon and John C. Reilly are fine as the no-good criminals, and Benjamin Bratt bags a nice little role as a good-guy ranger. Youngster Joe Mazzello is a more mature presence than in the previous year's JURASSIC PARK, and David Straithairn (THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM) gets to have some fun as the straight-laced father forced into becoming a hero. Okay, so you know the outcome from the outset (and in a 12-certificate family adventure nothing THAT bad is ever going to happen), but this is nonetheless a mildly entertaining little movie.

Curtis Hanson's box office hit 'The River Wild' is well-shot and even gripping in parts, but what really stands tall in this thriller and balances the film even when it dips, are the performances by it's talented star-cast.

The story involves a family on a whitewater rafting trip, who encounter two violent criminals in the wilderness.

'The River Wild', which has been written by Denis O'Neill, offers some gripping moments, that truly manage to hold your attention. The characters, are nicely presented and executed. But, I would like to point out, that, the writing in the latter hour tends to drag a bit. The film surely could've been shorter by at least 10-15 minutes. And I believe if it had been trimmed, it's impact would have only enhanced. Curtis Hanson's direction, like always, is efficient. Cinematography is Striking. Editing is fair.

Performance-Wise: Meryl Streep is superb, as expected. She carries the film on her shoulders and delivers with ease in each and every scene. Kevin Bacon makes a really interesting bad guy, and proves his potential as an actor. David Strathaim is first-rate. John C. Reilly is good. Joseph Mazzello supports well.

On the whole, A decent one-time watch, that offers strong performances to sail it safe.

The teacher Gail Hartman (Meryl Streep) is facing problems with her marriage with her husband, the workaholic architect Tom Hartman (David Strathairn). On the birthday of their son Roarke (Joseph Mazzello), Gail decides to leave her daughter with her parents and take her family to raft down a wild river where she was a guide. On the departure, a young man named Wade (Kevin Bacon) befriends Roarke and leaves the place with his friends Terry (John C. Reilly) and Frank (William Lucking). Later the family encounters Wade and Terry, who do not have rafting experience, and Gail helps them to cross a whitewater. They get closer to the family and soon Gail and Tom learn a dark secret about Wade and Terry. What will they do to get rid of the men?

Twenty-three years after its release date, "The River Wild" is still a breathtaking film. The story is predictable and corny in some moments, but the action scenes are still impressive. The forty-five year-old Meryl Streep is athletic and looks younger and younger. Unfortunately the DVD does not have making of since the scenes of white-river rafting are amazing. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Rio Selvagem" ("The Wild River")